Geology topics

T.E. Krogh

Publications and source records attributed to T.E. Krogh.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2006

Radiometric ages of the Fire Clay tonstein [Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous), Westphalian, Duckmantian]: A comparison of U-Pb zircon single-crystal ages and 40Ar/39Ar sanidine single-crystal plateau ages

The Fire Clay tonstein [Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous), Westphalian Series, Duckmantian Stage]-a kaolinized, volcanic-ash deposit occurring in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Virginia-is the most widespread bed in the Middle Pennsylvanian of the central Appalachian basin, USA. A concordant single-crystal U-Pb zircon datum for this tonstein gives a 206Pb/238U age of 314.6 ?? 0.9 Ma (2??). This age is in approximate agreement with a mean sanidine plateau age of 311.5 ?? 1.3 Ma (1??, n = 11) for the Fire Clay tonstein. The difference between the two ages may be due to bias between the 40K and 238U decay constants and other factors. The age of the Fire Clay tonstein has important implications for Duckmantian Stage (Westphalian Series) sedimentation rates, correlations with the Westphalian Series of Europe, Middle Pennsylvanian volcanic events, and the late Paleozoic time scale. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗

USGS1997

U-Pb age of zircon crystals from the upper banner tonstein (Middle Pennsylvanian), Virginia: Absolute age of the Lower Pennsylvanian-Middle Pennsylvanian boundary and depositional rates for the Middle Pennsylvanian, central appalachian basin

The Upper Banner tonstein, a kaolinized volcanic ash bed that occurs about 90 m above the base of the Middle Pennsylvanian Series in Virginia, is the oldest known Middle Pennsylvanian tonstein in the Appalachian basin. On the basis of palynostratigraphy, the Upper Banner coal bed correlates approximately with the Langsettian-Duckmantian (ex Westphalian A-B) boundary in Europe. Stratigraphically, the Upper Banner tonstein occurs 440-480 m below the Fire Clay tonstein, which in turn is 25-50 m below the marine Magoffin Member of the Breathitt Formation, the approximate correlative of the Agir Marine Band that marks the Dunckmantian-Bolsovian (ex Westphalian C) boundary in Europe. Six single-crystal U-Pb zircon ages were determined for the Upper Banner tonstein. Of these, four overlap concordia within uncertainties and have 206Pb/238U ages that range from 306 to 310??1 Ma. Another analysis falls in the same group but plots slightly to the right of the curve, whereas a single analysis of a low uranium zircon grain gives an age of 316??1 Ma. Variation in ages is outside of analytical uncertainty; hence, variable amounts of recent Pb loss is implied, and the most probable (minimum) depositional age is given by the oldest value at 316??1 Ma - an age consistent with a mean sanidine 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 311.2??0.7 Ma for the stratigraphically younger Fire Clay tonstein. Thus, the Upper Banner tonstein-Fire Clay tonstein interval is about 5 ?? 1 m.y. This period of time for the Dunckmantian Stage is in good agreement with the Hess and Lippolt (1986) and Hess et al. (1988) chronology for the Duckmantian based on 40Ar/39Ar plateau methods for Westphalian tonsteins. Also, on the basis of this period of time, calculated sedimentation rates (decompacted) od 66-165 m/m.y. were determined for the lower part of the Middle Pennsylvanian Series in the central Appalachian basin. These rates are consistent with the sedimentation rates for shallow-water marine siliciclastic sediments and passive-margin foreland sediments.

Prace - Panstwowego Instytutu Geologicznego↗

USGS1996

A minimum U-Pb age for Siberian flood-basalt volcanism

Establishing an accurate and precise age for Siberian flood-basalt volcanism is of great importance in evaluating causes for the unequaled mass extinction of flora and fauna at the Permian-Triassic boundary. We report a new, minimum U-Pb age obtained from zircon and baddeleyite from the mineralized Noril'sk I intrusion that cuts the lower third of this rapidly deposited, 3500-m-thick volcanic sequence near Noril'sk. This 251.2 ?? 0.3 (2??) Ma age is within analytical error of the SHRIMP U-Pb age for zircon from the Permian-Triassic boundary at Meishan, South China [251.1 ?? 3.6 Ma (2??)], and confirms Siberian basaltic volcanism as a possible contributor to the mass extinction.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗

USGS1993

Impact-shocked zircons: Discovery of shock-induced textures reflecting increasing degrees of shock metamorphism

Textural effects specifically characteristic of shock metamorphism in zircons from impact environments have not been reported previously. However, planar deformation features (PDF) due to shock metamorphism are well documented in quartz and other mineral grains from these same environments. An etching technique was developed that allows SEM visualization of PDF and other probable shock-induced textural features, such as granular (polycrystalline) texture, in zircons from a variety of impact shock environments. These textural features in shocked zircons from K/T boundary distal ejecta form a series related to increasing degrees of shock that should correlate with proportionate resetting of the UPb isotopic system.

Earth and Planetary Science Letters↗